The Good Wife's Guide - Book Review

I really enjoyed this eBook; I put it on my phone and read it whenever I had a few moments! I appreciated that it was a quick read and straight to the point. Being a wife and momma means you don’t have as much time to read. : ) It’s a very encouraging book packed full with truth & inspiration to be a good wife.

The first part of this book goes through life experiences and pares them up with the Bible. Encouraging & inspiring us as wives to take on our God given role and flourish.

Purpose is found in those quiet moments when no one but God sees the work of your hands. ~ Darlene Schacht 

The second part of this book is about “Practical Application” - managing your time and housekeeping well. This section is extremely thorough and goes through so much. Darlene shares her best tips on organizing, deep cleaning, regular cleaning schedules & cleaning recipes.

In the deep cleaning your bathroom part (section 2, schedule 6) Darlene gives 53 steps to get it done. I didn’t know you could find 53 things to clean in the bathroom, it’s pretty much the smallest room in most houses. I feel quite motivated after reading this book and want to get some deep “Spring Cleaning” done, hopefully soon!

I loved this poem that was in the book:

A Kitchen Prayer 

Thank God for dirty dishes, 

They have a tale to tell; 

While others may go hungry 

We’re eating very well. 

With home, health, and happiness, 

I shouldn’t want to fuss; 

By the stack of evidence, 

God’s been very good to us! 

~Anonymous 

I didn’t necessarily learn something “new” from this book but was encouraged to continue to strive towards always being a better wife to my husband & momma to our children.   A good, respectful, godly, happy, joyful, etc wife makes a happy mom & example to her children.

I think this book would make a great gift or read for a new wife or one who has been married for awhile!! :) Its well worth the $2.99 for the eBook format and the $11.95 for the printed copy (I’d love to get a printed copy some day – this is definitely a read again book!)  The printed copy just was release April 16th!

You can read more about Darlene on her site here, I'm sure you will be encouraged there by the things she shares - I have been!  The Good Wife's Guide can be purchased here.




{I love the background song...}

Table of Contents:

Foreword by Candace Cameron Bure

Part 1:

The Good Wife’s Guide

Learning to Manage Ourselves

Being Selfish is Not Okay

Group Your Life Inventory

Time Well Spent

My Desire for Curb Appeal

Domestically Challenged

What Will They Take Away?

Repetition, Pattern, Order

Laughing Over Spilt Milk

Biblical Submission Defined

No Need of Spoil

Living in Unity

The Treasure of Your Heart

Enhance Your Inner Beauty

Love and Let Go

Part 2:

Toss Out 25 Things

Organizing Your Home

Housekeeping Schedule

Deep Clean Your Kitchen in 5 Days

Deep Clean Your Bedroom

Deep Clean Your Bathroom

Which Chapter would you like to read the most?

**A big thank you to Darlene Schacht for providing a copy of this book for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.

Ohh, Baby Baby Giveaway Hop! ~ MobyWrap Giveaway

 

Welcome to the Oh Baby Baby Giveaway Hop hosted by The Shopping Duck! After entering this giveaway, be sure to enter the Grand Prize Giveaway where you can win a prize pack worth over $250 or an $80 Babies R Us Gift Card! Each participating blogger is also hosting a prize worth at least $25. Be sure to visit each participating blog listed in the linky below and enter to win some great baby products!

Wearing your baby is one of the best ways to bond with them (not to mention being able to have your hands free to do other things while holding your precious baby! :) ).  The MobyWrap is one of my favorites ways to carry my baby around. I love the ease and simplicity of using it.  It takes a little while to learn but once you get it it's so easy and comfortable.

I purchased my first MobyWrap when my first baby was just a few weeks old and used it all the time.  Your baby is held close and snuggled up to you due to the one-way stretchy fabric.  My baby loved it and would be so happy in it for so long.  My husband enjoyed wearing our son in our MobyWrap too.  I'm looking forward to using the MobyWrap again with our new baby (he's a week old!). :-)

I really like that the MobyWrap is machine wash and dry-able. I have the Organic MobyWrap in Chocolate, I don't see that they have the organic chocolate on their site anymore but they have Celery, Coconut, Eggplant, Licorice, & Beautiful Life all made with organic cotton. They also have Original MobyWraps in 100% cotton in 10 different colors.

MobyWrap in Pacific

About Moby Wrap:
Moby Wrap, the award-winning baby carrier, is a long piece of ultra soft, breathable cotton that is wrapped around the wearer to create a safe, custom-fitted and versatile baby carrier. For babies to 35lbs, the Moby Wrap is the most comfortable baby carrier on the market. Moby Wraps are available in original solids, fun prints and designs, UV protected and organic cotton. Each Moby Wrap is designed to custom fit the contours of both baby and babywearer. There are no buckles, snaps or other fasteners, making wearing a Moby Wrap simple and convenient. We use only the softest 100% cotton, making it comfortable against baby’s skin. All Moby Wraps are machine washable and fit almost everyone. The Moby Wrap retails for between $44.95 and $59.95.

Moby Wrap Inc. was founded in 2003 by parents with a passion for babywearing who saw the need for a more comfortable, secure and versatile way to carry their infants. Made from the softest of cotton fabrics, the Moby (mother and baby) Wrap is by far the most comfortable baby carrier available today. It distributes weight evenly from the wearer’s shoulders to hips and aligns baby's center of gravity as close to the wearer's body as possible. Since its inception, Moby has expanded its line to include baby carriers and accessories in a gorgeous array of colors, prints and fabrics, including UV protected and organic cotton. Moby partners with other organizations that emphasize empowering parents. Moby products can be found in stores across the US and in more than 28 countries.

Moby Wrap will be giving away 1 Pacific Moby Wrap to one reader (US only).  To enter use the Rafflecopter form below:

The Money Saving Mom's Budget - Audio Book Review

I've been reading Money Saving Mom's site for the last 2+ years, her money saving tips are always beneficial and encouraging to me (she always shares great recipes and testimonials too!).  Living life isn't all about money, but having financial goals and a vision can make life so much less stressful!

Since I read MSM's site I didn't know if I'd learn that much new from this book but I was so surprised!  Crystal is all about making things manageable and not biting off more than you can chew.  She breaks down everything into steps and makes something like budgeting easy!

This book has more than just money saving tips & budgeting, it's also filled with helpful tips on time management, organizing, de-cluttering your home, etc.

I was very encouraged by this book and feel even more motivated to press forward, blessing my family (with much help from my husband) by managing our finances best to my ability!  I thoroughly enjoyed having this as an audio book too as I was able to listen to it while still being able to go about doing my daily tasks! :)


About the book:
Crystal Paine, who has helped busy women everywhere take control of their finances, presents her most effective strategies designed for families of all sizes and income levels.  With hundreds of inspiring “why didn’t I think of that?” TIPS, plus WORKSHEETS, Paine breaks down your goals into easy, manageable steps so you can:

• Achieve a complete financial makeover
• Set up a realistic budget
• Never pay retail
• Slash your grocery bill
• Organize your time & your home
• Use coupons wisely
• Pay with cash only
• Live simply
• Become debt free
• Choose contentment
• Make every dollar count

About Crystal Paine:
Crystal Paine is a wife and homeschooling mom to three young children who has been writing on topics related to frugality for the last five years—and living a frugal, simple, and debt-free life since she was born. Her blog, MoneySavingMom.com, is one of the top personal finance blogs on the web averaging over four million pageviews per month. Crystal has contributed to articles in Woman's Day magazine and All You magazine, as well as being mentioned on National Public Radio and CNN.com, in USA Weekend, and Real Simple magazine and numerous other local newspapers and radio and television stations. www.moneysavingmom.com

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this audio book for the purpose of reviewing if I chose to.  These are my honest opinions of The Money Saving Mom's Budget.

Booty Buns Cloth Diapers Giveaway $500+

Welcome to the Go Green ♥ Give Charity Cloth Diaper Giveaway Event sponsored by Booty Buns Cloth Diapers! Over 175 blogs have teamed up to present this amazing cloth diaper giveaway hosted by Daily Mothering.

Here's your chance to win an entire stash of one-size cloth diapers!

 

This amazing cloth diaper prize pack includes:

20 Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers

(these true one-size cloth diapers fit 3-45 lbs!)

20 matching flannel/terry cloth wipes

40 microfiber inserts

20 cotton flannel liners

(picture does not show inserts or liners also included)

First, a little about Booty Buns...

In case you haven't heard about them, Booty Buns Cloth Diapers are incredible one-size cloth diapers that truly fit from birth to potty training! They feature a snap-down rise with 5 different snap settings (most one-size diapers only have 3!) and a waist with 10 regular snap settings plus 2 crossover snap settings. The diapers have hip snaps to prevent wing droop on smaller sizes. The incredible size range of this diaper fits from 3-45 lbs!

Booty Buns Cloth Diapers are pocket diapers and each diaper includes 2 snap-on microfiber inserts that can be stuffed into the diaper or laid on top with the included cotton flannel liner against your child's skin. The diapers have a waterproof PUL outer and a soft suedecloth inner with dual gussets on the inner lining to ensure everything stays IN the diaper! Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers come in an assortment of bright colors and each diaper includes a matching handmade flannel/terry wipe. You can find out more about the diapers at Booty Buns, or check out the detailed Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diaper Review at Daily Mothering!

Booty Buns is dedicated to encouraging others to "go green" and "give charity." Shannon, the owner of Booty Buns Cloth Diapers, leads by example. For every diaper that Booty Buns sells, she donates one Booty Buns Cloth Diaper to a child in need in a third-world country. Shannon hopes to donate a lifetime supply of cloth diapers {20 diapers} to every baby in need around the globe. You can join in this effort by purchasing your own set of Booty Buns Cloth Diapers and telling your friends about Booty Buns!

Make sure to stop by and follow Booty Buns via Facebook, Twitter and Blog for news and giveaways!

And now for the giveaway!!

ONE WINNER will receive this gigantic cloth diaper prize pack valued at $546!

And, the winner will get to select their choice of diaper colors!

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada.

Use the Rafflecopter form below to enter.

Sign in using your Facebook account OR your name and email address.

Click "Do It" for instructions on how to complete each entry.

There is no mandatory entry. Complete as many entries as you wish.

The more entries you submit, the better odds you have of winning!

Sneak Peek: $500+ Cloth Diaper Giveaway Starts Saturday!

Would you like to win a LIFETIME SUPPLY of cloth diapers?!

The Go Green ♥ Give Charity Cloth Diaper Giveaway Event sponsored by Booty Buns Cloth Diapers starts this Saturday, March 24th! Over 175 blogs are coming together to present this fantastic fluffy giveaway hosted by Daily Mothering. Mark your calendar because you don't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win an entire stash of one-size cloth diapers!

ONE WINNER will receive a gigantic cloth diaper prize pack valued at $546! And, the winner will get to select their choice of diaper colors!

This amazing prize pack will include:

20 Booty Buns One-Size Cloth Diapers (these true one-size cloth diapers fit 3-45 lbs!) 20 matching flannel/terry cloth wipes 40 microfiber inserts 20 cotton flannel liners

(picture does not show inserts or liners also included)

This giveaway will be open to U.S. and Canada.

Come back March 24-31 for your chance to win it all!

Shutterfly Yearbooks!

I love Shutterfly for all my photo needs!  They have high quality prints, make beautiful, strong photobooks, and just about any photo gift you can think of. : )  I love their playing cards & mugs! : )

Shutterfly has a new product - Yearbooks!  These look so great & nice!  I know from past experiences with Shutterfly that their photobooks are printed well, high quality and strong!  These yearbooks would be great for many other things besides yearbooks:

• Parents could make them and give to all the grandparents
• Collect a bunch of pictures of the times you've spent with your church during the year.
• If you're part of a quilting club you could compile a book of all the quilts for everyone - who doesn't love to look through a book full of quilts?
• Make a family cookbook! :)

 Here's what Shutterfly says about their Yearbooks:

1.  Easy-to-make (we promise) - Use our specially designed page templates to capture school activities along with favorite student, classroom and faculty pictures. Make it just the way you want with our All New Custom Path.
2. Easy on your pocketbook - Get up to 75% off when you order for your class or school. We have prices as low as $5 per Yearbook, which are only available by contacting Shutterfly for a quote. 
3. Made to love, made to last - Our award-winning photo books are printed in color and professionally bound. Your Yearbook is saved forever and you can re-order it at any time

Shutterfly has a huge variety of papers & embellishments to personalize your yearbook or photobook just they way you want it!  Just choose a Yearbook theme and Shutterfly will have you fully covered with every thing you'd need! :)

These yearbooks are starting at $5.00 each with a 10 book minimum, contact shutterfly for a complete quote and get up to 75% off!

You can learn more about Shutterfly's Yearbooks and other products by their website as well as on their Facebook, Twitter, & Pinterest!


*This post is sponsored by Shutterfly.  Though all opinions expressed here are my own.